Packer assembly



June 27, 1944.

w. L. CHURCH PACKER ASSEMBLLY Filed Dec. 2, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l1441052 1.. CHuecH 5- .2. gf/vm ,grroxwsk June 27, 1944. w. CHURCHPACKER ASSEMBLY Filed Dec. 2, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IIIIIIIIII"INVENTOR. Muse L. CHu/ecH Patented June 27, 1944 UNITED PACKER ASSEDIBLYWalter L. Church, Houston, Tex., assignor of one-half to Cecil Ware,Houston, Tex.

Application December 2, 1940, Serial No. 368,127

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a packer for wells and has particular relationto an expansible packer designed for forming a fluid tight seal betweenthe well tubing and an outer well pipe or well casing.

An object of the invention is to provide a packer assembly that may beset at any selected elevation in the well and the packer, of theassembly, expanded to form a fluid tight seal so as to shield the wellcasing or well pipe above from the pressure of the fluid in the well.

It is another object of the invention to provide a packer assembly ofthe character described which may be set in a well and the packerexpanded, and which may be thereafter readily released and withdrawnfrom the well or elevated or lowered and again set and the packerexpanded.

The invention also embodies a novel construction whereby the tubing towhich the assembly is attached may be detached from the assembly andwithdrawn if for any reason the assembly itself becomes stuck in thewell and cannot be withdrawn.

The invention herein disclosed embodies also novel means for setting thepacker which constitute an improvement over that type of setting tooldisclosed in United States Patent No. 1,912,- 823 issued to applicant onJune 6. 1933, for Setting tool.

With the above and other objects in view the invention has particularrelation to certain novel features of construction, arrangement of partsand use, an example of which is given in this specification andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 shows a side view, partly in section, of the upper end of theassembly.

Figure 2 shows a side view, partly in section, of an intermediateportion of the assembly including the packer in collapsed position.

Figure 3 shows a side view, partly in section, of the intermediateportion of the assembly showing the casing engaging jaws retracted.

Figure 4 shows a side elevation, partly in section, of an intermediateportion of the assembly showing the packet expanded'into. sealingrelationship with the well casing.

Figure 5 shows a side view, partly in section, of an intermediateportion of the assembly showing the casing engaging jaws in activeposition to engage the well casing.

Figure 6 shows a side elevation, partly in section. of the lower portionof the assembly in the position it will occupy when the packer isexpanded.

Figure 7 shows a cross sectional view taken on the line 'l--'! of Figure1.

Figure 8 shows a cross sectional view taken on the line 8i3 of Figure 2.

Figure 9 shows a cross sectional view taken on the line 9@ of Figure 2.

Figure 10 shows a cross sectional view taken on the line Ill-ill ofFigure 3.

Figure 11 shows an elevational view, partly in section, of the completeassembly showing the packer expanded or set, and

Figure 12 show: an elevational view, partly in section, illustrating theconnection between i the tubing and the packer assembly.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings'wherein like numerals ofreference designate the same parts in each of the figures the numeral Idesignates the string of well tubing to the lower end of which acoupling 2 is connected and depending from this coupling there is anelongated tubular nipple 3 having the inside stop 4 beneath its upperend. A tubular mandrel 5 is fitted downwardly through the nipple 3. Theupper end of the mandrel 5 is formed with an enlarged head 6 which issurrounded by the countersunk packing rings 1, l which form a fluidtight joint with the nipple 3. The lower end of the mandrel 5 hasexternal, coarse, left-hand threads 8 adapted to intermesh withcorresponding internal threads in the coupling 9. Beneath these threadsthe lower end of the mandrel 5 has the external countersunk packingrings l0, III which form a seal with the coupling 9. The lower end ofthe coupling 9 is connected to the flow tube I l by means of the collarII.

The lower end of the nipple 3 is inwardly thickened and fits closelyabout the mandrel 5 and the adjacent ends of the nipple 3 and thecoupling 9 are formed with the clutch jaws l3, I4 adapted to be engagedand disengaged. When the nipple 3 is moved downwardly relative to themandrel 5 said clutch jaws will interengage as shown in Figures 1 and11, whereby upon rota tion of the tubing the coupling 9 and collar l2will rotate with the tubing; but upon upward movement of the tubing thenipple 3 will be moved upwardly to disengage said clutch jaws as shownin Figure 12. The mandrel 5 has external keys I 5 which extend intocorresponding internal keyways in the stop 4 whereby the mandrel iscaused to rotate with the tubing. The stop 4 is spaced a suflicientdistance from the lower end of the coupling 2 to allow the relativelongitudinal movement of the nipple 3 and mandrel 5 so that the clutchmay be engaged and disengaged. The clutch is normally maintained engagedby means of a frangible pin 11 whereby the nipple 3 and mandrel 5 arepinned together. In case the packer assembly should become stuck in thewell so that it cannot be withdrawn the tubing I may be pulled upwardlyto shear the pin l1 and to disengage the clutch and thereupon turned tothe right to disengage the threads 8 from the coupling 9 and the tubingmay then be withdrawn from the well.

The construction hereinabove specifically described for disconnectingthe tubing from the assembly beneath is described and claimed incopending application Serial No. 525,731 filed March 9, 1944, for Safetyjoint.

The numeral l3 designates a tubular cage through which the tube extends.The lower end of this cage has an inside downwardly tapering seat I!) onwhich the slips 29 are seated. The respective slips 29 are connected toa ring 2|, above by means of the flexible arms 22 and the ring 2| has anexternal vertical keyway 23 into which a key 24, carried by the. cage,projects. A coil spring 25 is interposed between a floating ring 26 andthe slip ring 2|. The floating ring 25 closely surrounds a releasesleeve 21 and has an inwardly extended key 29 which projects into anelongated vertically extended slot 29 in said release sleeve. The upperend of the sleeve 21 is screwed into the enlarged set collar 39 whichclosely and slidably surrounds the tube H and whose upper end contains asuitable packing assembly 3| which is retained in place by the gland 32,screwed into the upper end of said collar 39. The packing 3| forms afluid tight joint between the set collar 39 and the tube I The upper endof the release sleeve 21 has vertically elongated slots 33, and keys 34are attached to the tube H and work in said slots 33 whereby the tubeand release sleeve are caused to rotate together but are allowed alimited relative longitudinal movement.

Around the upper end of release sleeve 21 there is a tubular packersupport 35 whose upper end is attached to the lower end of the setcollar 39 and whose lower end is provided with an external annular stop36. Surrounding the packer support there is a suitable expansible packer31 which is sleeve-like in form and which is formed of rubber or othersuitable expansible material so as to form, when expanded, a fluid tightseal with the outer well pipe or casing 33.

An annular abutment 39 surrounds the packer support 35 and is inabutting relation with the lower end of the packer 31. Attached to anddepending from the abutment 39 there is a tubular expander sleeve 49whose lower end is screwed onto the upper end of the downwardly taperingjaw expander 4| which fits closely around the release sleeve 21 andwhich flts closely within the upper end of the cage l9.

Mounted for radial movement in said cage there are the casing engagingjaws 42 whose inner sides converge downwardly and whose outer sides areformed with downwardly pitched teeth. The lower end of the jaw expander4| fits snugly between the jaws 42 and said Jaws work through lateralopenings 43 in the cage |8. The jaws 42 are maintained against outwarddisplacement from the cage by means of set screws 44 which are screwedinto said cage and which have enlarged heads in the radially extendedrecesses 45 of said jaws.

2,ss2,42s

The cage It has an inside stop 43 secured thereto which is locatedabove, and is engageable with, the floating ring 29 to limit thedownward movement of the cage relative to the release sleeve 21. Thecage has a plurality of outwardly bowed wiper springs 41 whose lowerends are secured to the cage and whose upper ends are free and work invertical external grooves 48 in the cage. These wiper springs 41frictionally engage the outer pipe 38 while the assembly is in the well.Attached to the lower end of the tube N there is a special type ofcoupling 49 whose upper end is formed into a nipple 59 having coarse, ex t e r n a l downwardly pitched, right-hand threads 5| engageable withcorresponding upwardly pitched inside teeth 52 carried by the slips 29.With the clutch members l3, l4 engaged, upon rotation of the tubing I tothe right the tube and coupling 49 will be correspondingly rotated andthe nipple 59 will be unscrewed from the teeth of the slips 29 thuspermitting the tube II to move downwardly relative to the cage l8.During this unscrewing operation the wiper springs 41 will hold the cagel8 against turning. The coupling 49 and the lower end of the cage l8have interengaging stops 53 and 54 respectively to prevent the nipple 59from becoming screwed too tightly into the slips 23 upon a relativereverse rotation of these parts.

Depending from the coupling 49 there is an inside extension tube 54which forms, in effect, a continuation of the tube H and the tubing Iand which may extend any selected distance down into the well; alsoattached to the lower end of the coupling 49 there is a tubular cup ringsupport 55 which, as shown is formed of two sections with an invertedcup ring 55 clamped between said sections and of a diameter to fltlosely within the well casing 39. This cup ring is reenIorced by thefriction rods 51 which are spaced apart therearound, whose upper endsare embedded in the cup ring and whose lower ends are attached to ananchor ring 53. This cup ring is provided for the purpose of cleaningout the casing, and removing obstructions therefrom, in advance of thepacker assembly as said assembly is lowered.

In use the apparatus is assembled as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 withthe nipple 59 engaged and held by the slips 29 and with the nipple 3 andthe mandrel 5 held against longitudinal movement by the frangible pin |1connecting them. While being so lowered the expander 4| will be in itsupper position and the sleeve 31 will be collapsed. When the selectedlever has been reached to set the packer the tubing may be turned to theright, the cage l3 remaining stationary and the nipple 59 screwing outof the slips 29 as hereinabove explained. Thereupon the tubing may belowered. Upon lowering of the tubing the keys 34 will move downwardly inthe slots 33. The collar |2 will eventually land on the set collar 39moving the latter downwardly relative to the cage l3 and to the jaws 42and upon such downward movement the jaws will be immediately expanded bythe expander 4| into engagement with the casing 39 thus anchoring theassembly against further downward movement, as a whole. The releasesleeve 21 will also move downwardly with the set collar to the positionshown in Figure 5. The downward movement oi the annular abutment 33',however, will have been stopped and upon further downward movement ofthe tubing the set collar 33 will be caused to move downwardly againstthe upper end'of the packer 31 and said packer will be expanded intosealing relationship with the casing 30 as indicated in Figures 4 and 11and the packer will be maintained so expanded by the required weight oftubing on it so that a fluid tight seal will be maintained between thepacker assembly and the outer casing. Accordingly, the casing above andits couplings will be protected against high pressure fluid that maydevelop in the well and leaks in the casing couplings will not be liableto develop.

If it should be desired to re-locate the packer assembly, that is toelevate or lower it, the tubing may pulled upwardly pulling the nipple50 up into the slips 20, the threads of the nipple ratcheting past theteeth 52 of the slips so that said threads and teeth may be interengagedby a direct upward movement of the tubing. Upon such upward movement theupper end of the nipple 50 will also engage the lower end of the releasesleeve 2'! and move'said sleeve upwardly thus moving the set collar 30upwardly and upon such upward movement the annular stop 36 will engagethe lower end of the abutment 39 and elevate said abutment and theexpander sleeve iii and expander 4| thus releasing the jaws M from thecasing and such upward movement of the tubing will relieve the downwardpressure of the set collar 30 against the upper end of the packer andthe packer will be permitted to collapse so that the assembly may berelocated and again set as before.

With the packer set, as shown in Figures 4 and 11, production may becarried on through the tubing l to the ground surface. When it isdesired to do so, the assembly may be, under normal conditions, removedfrom the well by releasing the jaws 42 and collapsing the packer ashereinabove explained. It sometimes happens, however, that the assemblymay become stuck in the well so that it cannot be withdrawn. In suchevent an upward pull may be taken on the tubing l with suincient forceto shear the pin l1. Thereupon the nipple 3 will move upwardly relativeto the mandrel 5 disengaging the clutch jaws i3, i4 and thereupon, uponrotation of the tubing l to the right, the mandrel will be disengagedfrom the coupling 9 and. the entire string of tubing may then bewithdrawn leaving the stuclr packer assembly in the well.

The upper end of the tube II is provided with a plurality of slots 59which will be located within the set collar 30, and be closed, when thepacker is set and production is being carried on but which will belocated above the set collar 30, as shown in Figure 2, when the assemblyis being elevated or lowered in the well. It is to be understood thatthe well is.fl1led with fluid and while lowering or withdrawing oradjusting the assembly in the well it is desirable that circulation bemaintained from within the tubing to without the tubing and vice versaso that the pressure will be equalized thus relieving the packerassembly from a major portion 01' the weight of the liquid column aboveduring these movements.

The drawings and descriptions are illustrative merely while the broadprinciple of the invention will be defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is: I

1. A packer assembly for wells comprising a tubular packer support, anexpansible sleeve-like to the upper end of the support and abutting theupper end or the packer, an external stop on the lower end of thesupport, an abutment abutting the lower end of the packer and locatedabove the stop and through which the support is slidable, a releasesleeve extended through the support and whose upper end is connected tothe set collar, a downwardly tapering jaw expander around the releasesleeve beneath the packer, means connecting said expander to theabutment, a cage around the release sleeve, casing engaging jaws aroundthe expander and mounted to be moved radially in the cage by theexpander upon downward movement of the expander, means for supportingthe cage on the release sleeve, an inner tube adapted to be connected toan operating string and extended through the release sleeve, means forconnecting said inner tube to the cage and which includes threads on thetube and expansible slips in the cage around and in engagement with thethreads, said threads being pitched to be releasable from the slips uponrotation and downward movement of the tube and said threads beingengageable with the slips upon a subsequent, non-rotative, upwardmovement of the tube, means carried by the cage and in frictionalengagement with the well casing for holding the cage stationary uponsuch movements of the tube, means on the tube arranged to engage the setcollar, when the tube is released from the cage and moved downwardlyrelative thereto, whereby the set collar, the packer and the expanderwill be moved down-- wardly to effect engagement of the jaws with thewell casing and the expansion of the packer.

2. A packer assembly for wells comprising a tubular packer support, anexpansible sleeve-like packer around the support, a set collar connectedto the upper end of the support and abutting the upper end of thepacker, an external stop on the lower end of the support, an abutmentabutting the lower end of the packer and located above the stop andthrough which the support is slidable, a release sleeve extended throughthe support and whose upper end is connected to the set collar, adownwardly tapering jaw expander packer around the support, a set collarconnected 7| around the release sleeve beneath the packer, meansconnecting said expander to the abutment, a cage around the releasesleeve, casing engaging jaws around the expander and mounted to be movedradially in the cage by the expander upon downward movement of theexpander, means for supporting the cage on the release sleeve, an innertube adapted to be connected to an operating string and extended throughthe release sleeve, means for connecting said inner tube to the cage andwhich includes threads on the tube and expansible slips in the cagearound and in engagement with the threads, said threads being pitched tobe releasable from the slips upon rotation and downward movement of thetube and said threads being engageable with the slips upon a subsequent,non-rotative, upward movement of the tube, means carried by the cage andin frictional engagement with the well casing for holding the cagestationary upon such movements of the tube, means on the tube arrangedto engage the set collar, when the tube is released from the cage andmoved downwardly relative thereto, whereby the set collar, the packerand the expander will be moved downwardly to eflect engagement of thejaws with the well casing and the expansion of the packer and means onthe tube arranged to engage the release the upper end "of the packer, anabutment through which the support is slidable and abut ting the lowerend of the packer, a release sleeve connected to the set collar andextendedthrough the support, a downwardly tapering jaw expander aroundthe release sleeve beneath the packer and connected to said abutment, acage around the release sleeve, casing engaging jaws mountnected to theupper end or the support and abut- ;ting the upper end of the packer, anabutment abutting the lower end of the packer and through which thesupport is slidable, a release sleeve extended through the support andwhose upper end is connected to the set collar, a downwardly "taperingJaw expander around the release sleeve beneath the packer and connectedto the abutment. a cage around the release sleeve, casing engaging jawsaround the expander and mounted in the cage to be moved radiallyoutwardly by the expander upon downward movement of the expander, meansfor supporting the cage on the release sleeve, an inner tube adapted tobe connected to an operating string and extended 7 through the releasesleeve, means for limiting ed in the cage around the expander andmovable radially outwardly by the expander upon downward movement of theexpander, means supporting the cage on the release sleeve, an inner tubeadapted to be connected to an operating string and extended through therelease sleeve, means for connecting the inner tube to the cage andwhich includes threads on the tube and expansible slips mounted withinthe cage around the threads and having teeth which engage the threads,said hreads being pitched so as to be released by e slip teeth uponrotation and downward movement of the tube and said threads beingengageable with said teeth upon a subsequent non-rotative upwardmovement of the tube, means carried by the cage and in frictionalengagement with the well casing for holding the cage stationary uponsuch movements of the tube, external means on the tube arranged to landon the set collar when the tube is released from the cage and moveddownwardly relative thereto whereby the set collar, the packer and theexpander will be moved downwardly to successively move said'jawsoutwardly into engagement with the well casing and expand the packer.

4. A packer assembly for wells comprising a tubular packer support, anexpansible sleeve- ]ike packer around the support, a set collar contherange of movement of the tube relative to the release sleeve, means forconnecting said inner tube to the cage and which includes threads on thetube and expansible slips in the cage around, and having teeth inengagement with,

the threads, said threads being pitched to be releasable from the slipteeth upon rotation and downward movementof the tube 'and said threadsbeing engageable with said teeth upon a subsequent, non-rotative, upwardmovement of the tube, means carried by the cage and in frictionalengagement with the well casing for holding the cage stationary uponsuch movements of the tube, means on the tube arranged to engage the setcollar, when the tube is released from the cage and moved downwardlyrelative thereto, wherebythe set collar, the packer and the expanderwill be moved downwardly to effect engagement of the jaws with the wellcasing and the expansion oi the packer, in succession, means on the tubearranged to engage the release sleeve to move said release sleeve andset collar upwardly, relative to the cage and jaws, upon such upwardmovement of the tube and means on the packer support engageable withsaid abutment to elevate the expander and release it from said jaws.

WALTER L. CHURCH.

